"How About Whole Foods?" I Asked....

We were in Chicago two summers ago when Sarala was almost 2.

Sarala slept in the far backseat of the vehicle as we drove around...trying to figure out where we would eat.

The question, as a joke...as we drove past a Whole Foods was:

"What about Whole Foods?"

Sarala was sleeping in the very backseat of the vehicle at the time.

Hadn't made a sound.

At the sound of me saying Whole Foods...she says

"Booooooo!"

Hilarious...

and then I made the comment that we're definitely not hitting up Whole Foods with Sarala.


Fast-forward to this past weekend....

We find ourselves at Whole Foods with Sarala.


As we were inside Sarala proceeds to say

"I don't like this place."

Sarala...apparently has this inherent dislike of Whole Foods.


Her partiality may lie with Trader Joe's...as does mine.

Who doesn't love a place with small-child carts...like TJ's?

"I Have To...!"

This was Sarala's first experience with Spumoni.

If you're not familiar with Spumoni...

think of it as a really fancy, Italian ice cream.

It has the neopolitan look but has layers.

Awesomeness is what I say.


Anyway...Sarala was bringing herself to the brink of a brainfreeze while eating Spumoni this past weekend.

I told her that she didn't have to finish and her reply was...

"I HAVE TO...!"

She was all about it.


Is there anything you attack with the voraciousness of Sarala eating Spumoni?

Um yeah...me either.... ;)

Lost weight...now let's eat!

I have to share some awesomeness with you.

Due to the abundance of quality food in our household...

all due to Crystal...

I am 14 lbs lighter than I was when February started!

That's right...

14 lbs.


That's the equivalent of a small baby child...

3 chihuahua's...

or a very large...Garfield-like...cat.


Then...what does one do to celebrate such a feat!?

Go to The Cheesecake Factory...of course!


Seriously...

it was the first meal we had eaten out in a long time...and I actually got something fairly decent...

nothing fried.


Regardless...the food was amazing.

Then...we had to share a slice of Oreo Cheesecake...a splurge/reward for the discipline maintained over the past couple weeks.

I'm good now...it was amazing...but I thought I may not make it later that night.


Sarala is much better at naturally eating well.

It's like she's got this inherent knowledge of what's good for her...

and that's what she usually eats.


Take this plate for example.

She ordered some chicken strips...

took the dipping sauces off the plate because they're "Ewww!"

and then proceeded to strip the strips of their breading.


Also...she's not much of a fry-eater so...we made a face using the discarded sauces and a fry.

Here's to eating better...

on into March...and beyond!

Things I'm Likin' Right Now...

1) Dierbergs
One of the things I miss about living in the city. I know we're not far away...but there's something about having the selection that a place like Dierbergs provides within minutes.

The variety...

the quality...

the awesome.

And...if you don't know what I'm talking about...Dierbergs is an awesome grocery store.

2) Half-Pipe Snowboarding

What is more exciting than seeing massive air, big tricks, passion...with commentators saying things like McTwist, Sketchy, the eye of the tiger, Finnish Mafia, Double Cork....

3) The tv show Chopped on food network

How intense is this show? The smack talk...the ability to come up with something when you're given a fish, chocolate, endive, and graham crackers...seriously?

4) 30 Rock

I love that Al Gore has a sense of humor...and...this show is hilarious if you haven't seen it.



5) A favorite SNL Skit - Blizzard Man

"Replace me? T-Pain?"



What are some of your current favorites? Music...places...food...shows...whatever.

She Knew....

This is a pic of Sarala with her horse on a stick...

from our last trip to Children's Eye Center.


The news we brought home with us that day involved surgery.

Though it was to be an outpatient procedure...Sarala has had a couple surgeries and we would love for her to not have to endure any more...if it were all up to us.

We didn't know what to expect...we just knew that she was having a lot of trouble seeing things up close and Sarala's therapist suggested we get her eyes checked.


We were told that Sarala had exotropia of the right eye.

Strabismus...which is basically a lazy eye...was caused by her retinopathy of prematurity (which premature babies can have) and cerebral palsy.

These were just some of the complications that Sarala contended with as a small babe...born 3 months premature...2.5 lbs...amazingly sick.

We risked vision impairment if we didn't act.

Her brain would get tired of keeping her eye straight and it would eventually drift, which would affect her vision adversely.

This seemed like a fairly simple option...but again...we weren't too excited about our baby being put under.


Going back to the last post...because of this reality...we had always assumed that something could come up along the way.

And...we made the decision that we wouldn't worry about it...

let God take care of her...

and take things as they came along.


Today was a different story.

Sarala's pediatrician didn't feel like they got the whole picture...so he questioned...and as one we completely trust...figured we should get her reassessed.

This time a specialist who works with strabismus and the like examined her eyes.

It was awesome to watch Sarala do so well.

Then...he didn't see any of the things that showed up during our last visit...

so...

surgery cancelled...

we'll be back in four months just to make sure...

but he couldn't find anything wrong with her eye.


Amazing...truly amazing.

As a friend put it...another miracle for our miracle baby....

And...

to make it even better...

Sarala seemed to know.


She was worried about it all day...

cried most of the way up.


As soon as she saw the doctor though...she wanted to give him a hug and went right in.

Then...her eyes were checked and nothing showed up.


Sarala was a different kid the rest of the trip.

God is taking care of our baby...His baby....

Perspective...

We were watching the finals of the men's moguls and a Canadian won gold.

Their first gold on home soil...

then there was some backstory....


I really wasn't paying close attention to the pre-run stuff...

I was pretty excited about the Montanan in place to win a medal...

but remember the commentators saying something about Alexandre Bilodeau...

wanting to dedicate his run to his brother.


Turns out his brother has cerebral palsy...is in a wheelchair, can walk some...but skis.

Alexandre talked about his brother being an inspiration for him...that he doesn't complain...

even though, according to Alexandre, he has every right to.


Sarala had been put to bed...and even though it is Valentine's Day and all...I figured I would take the pics off my phone and download to the computer.

I hadn't pulled any of the pictures I've received via text...figured it was time to put them on the computer.

Crystal had sent a pic by text that I had forgotten all about...

a simple picture...

but one that brought back a storm of emotion.


This is an amazing picture.

Simple...yet beautiful.

Full of joy...

a small child that looks for joy in everything she encounters.


This was taken last Spring...right after another visit to Children's.

This is when Sarala was first diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy.

We had left Children's...

had some lunch at Blueberry Hill...

and Sarala wanted to see the penguins at the zoo.



Though this was something that we had anticipated...prepared for...as much as we could, it was still tough...

and can be tough at times still...

to acknowledge the reality of her situation.

It is mild cerebral palsy, but most people see it as cerebral palsy...plain and simple.

It's irritating...causes anger that this label...diagnosis...could be used to define her...even if you've never met her.

We just had an underwriter for life insurance reject her due to cerebral palsy.

Dumb.

If you met her, and most of you have...she's normal.

She has problems with her legs every now and then, but really...we have been blessed in the mildness of her condition.

After her birth...looking at all of her issues, complications...we knew that we could deal with something someday.

Though miraculous things had happened all through the time she was in San Fran...the time she spent in the hospital...we knew that it would be smart to keep an eye on her.

We just decided that we would take everything as it came...there wasn't any use worrying about it...just acknowledge it and move forward.

God had already done some amazing things at this point...and is continuing to do things that can only be attributed to something bigger.


The diagnosis has caused some things to happen that wouldn't have happened if she didn't have the diagnosis.

She is receiving physical therapy as a result...and is making beautiful progress.



I hate that she has to wear these things...but they aren't that invasive...and Sarala thinks of them as her boots.

She loves running around in them.

So...I look at these pictures...

and it reminds me of a God who we can only describe as

loving...

merciful...

awesome...

powerful.


I leave you with this...

God's love...what reminders are present around you?

God's love is meteoric,
his loyalty astronomic,
His purpose titanic,
his verdicts oceanic.
Yet in his largeness
nothing gets lost;
Not a man, not a mouse,
slips through the cracks.
Psalm 36:5-6

Happy Valentine's Day...

Now...that's one big kiss.

Celebrate...?

Do you have anything...

small...

huge...

to celebrate...

be excited about...

to claim as a victory?


I'll start...

1) I'm able to wear a jacket that I haven't been able to wear in two winters.
A victory....

2) My wife got me a new messenger bag to replace my current bag, which is looking pretty rough.
Something unexpected but awesome.

There...your turn.

Money in the Couch...

Money in the couch, money in the couch...lookin' like a fool with yo money in the couch....

Sarala was helping me look for some of her toys that had gotten sucked into the couch.

She ended up finding two bucks...

and I don't think we ever did retrieve the toys we were looking for,

which means they're probably still in there as I type....

Anyway...find anything in your couch lately?

"I want to be a llama...."

We watch a lot of movies around the Buckman household.

As of late though...the past 3 years to be more specific...

most of those movies involve Disney...

Pixar...

and are of animated origin.

One of those films that didn't get much attention is The Emperor's New Groove.

David Spade as the spoiled emperor/llama...John Goodman as your big, loveable protagonist...

good family fun.

It's actually quite clever...humorous...

especially when you have David Puddy playing Kronk...

awesomer.


Anyway...

tonight Sarala says:

Daddy...for Halloween...I want to be a llama!

I say...awesome!

Who wants to aim for your standard...

run-of-the-mill costume anyway?

Favorite Super Bowl Ads...

The Super Bowl:

football...half-time show...commercials.

The game was actually a fantastic game...riveting.

The half-time show on the other hand...hmmm.

The commercials didn't seem all that great...but there were a few that I thought were clever and may have gotten a smile or chuckle from me.

That's right...a chuckle.

Here they are those very commercials:

Brett Favre and Hyundai


"Hands off my mama!"


Google


"Mike, you're playing like Betty White out there."


Awesome + Awesome = Awesomer


Which were your favorites?

Staying Focused...

The journey can be rough at times.

Occasionally we may hit a stretch that lies straight...

clear...

open...

with a trajectory that lies unobstructed...

forward....

We look ahead and all seems possible.


Inspiration...

hope...

dreams materialize.

It's amazing how momentum can build...

things off in the distance can come into focus...

clarity.


Then...

things happen that cause distraction...

distort what's ahead...

provoke...

create doubt.

Many ideas have found their demise this way...many of my own ideas.

These hindrances can kill momentum.

Time...

then adds and only compounds the loss of clarity.


The hard part is retaining that glimpse of what we saw...

it can be minuscule at times, but we saw it...

for a reason.


This is my prayer...that I will remain focused on what's ahead, what I've seen.

That I will retain that glimpse of clarity and continue working toward the goal...as far away as it may seem sometimes.

I leave you with this...

When was the last time you had a clarifying moment concerning a hope...

a dream...

a vision?

Is it still worth the striving...

desire...

attainment?

Second Thoughts...

Dreams.

Visions.

Hopes.

What sorts of things do you see ahead?

How many of those actually leave your brain and become something tangible...become action?

I'm guilty of dreaming big...thinking big...and leaving it at that.

It's scary...I know...to think big.

What if?

As I try to put some action behind some of my thoughts...dreams...hopes...I hope you will join me.

The journey thus far has been quite amazing, but I believe it could even more amazing.

The blog...I hope...can become something of a catalyst...to spark movement towards making some of our hopes, dreams, visions into reality...or at least to try.

I'm trying hard to at least try.

Not to let doubt...fear...keep me from doing...keep me just thinking.

I've got a couple things in the works...the first of which is:

Hosting a house show for a singer/songwriter....

As I iron out the details, I will let you know how that goes.

Right now...I acted...spoke...and have a date.

Now...to get the details ironed out...and...something awesome.

So...we'll begin with that.

Let's see what we can come up with....

Where Oh Where...?!

What am I doing?

Where am I going?

What am I really wanting to do with this blog...where do I want to take it?

It's been a time of rethinking around the Buckman household.

My Wii-age is almost ten years older than I actually am...

what's going on here?

The wife has gotten our family eating much better...

and...

it's pretty awesome.

An awesome step in the right direction.

Then there is everything else....

Everything?!

Yes....

There are visions...plans...that include family...health...finances...education...projects...all sorts of stuff.

The hope is to stay motivated.

Now...here's the question:

What can I do with my blog to help with this?

Stay tuned....

Joy...

We have just experienced a respite...a departure from the crazy that life can create if left unchecked.

My life is reentering a rhythm where basketball no longer has a place.

Somehow I ended up remaining quite busy...

then

...snow.

Not just a little snow...9 inches fell and...all of the sudden we've got a four-day weekend.

What a perfect time for a couple extra days of rest...

relaxation...

joy.

The week preceding the snow consisted of a full four days of work.

For the first time since early November...no basketball practice...games...preparation.

I ended up filling that time with a bunch of other stuff that did exactly that...filled that time.

My responsibilities were being taken care of but the paperwork was becoming overwhelming.

These are the times where I spend too much time...energy...focus on things that really don't matter.

Enter Sarala.

We got to spend a couple extra days with her.

This beautiful face can realign my thoughts...purpose...perspective in times of busy.

God is present...something that I tend to forget...trudging along in my daily life.

Sarala is an amazing reminder of His faithfulness...mercy...love.

How often do you laugh during your day?

I'm guilty of letting life...busy...routine direct my thoughts...attention.

Where is the joy?

Joy...truly losing myself in the laughter of amazingly ordinary things.

This never seems to be an issue with Sarala.

She's got this inherent ability to keep herself from getting too serious...which also helps us to maintain perspective.

My hope for her...that she'll retain as much of this ability as possible.

To look for the joy...laughter...good in things...

everyday

things.

So...when was the last time you laughed...

good...

deep...

big?

Snow...!

Missouri actually got a little snow the other day.

9 inches of snow!

I haven't seen snow like this since my days in Montana.

Did you make a snow angel?